KXAN

Education advocates have warned lawmakers that S.B. 2 seems to expedite the evaluation process for students seeking an ESA, removing many deadline extensions districts utilize for other students waiting to learn whether they qualify for special education services. “The ESA legislation that is being considered basically allows private school students to cut the line. They could then become eligible for the larger ESA benefit for students with disabilities,” Disability Rights Texas Senior Policy Specialist Steven Aleman said. 

“The legislation imposes a burden on public schools to do work for a private school student they are not ever going to see, they are not ever going to get reimbursed for, over and above the public-school students who are already there needing services, already on waitlists,” Aleman said.